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Lycanthropic Magic
Werewolves and The Moon's Gift Shapeshifters themselves are considered a kind of magical being. Although they can draw from different sources, as outlined in the Magic Errata section, they also automatically draw on the very essence of their existence. Werewolf magic can be thought of as a kind of sub-source. It is the activator, the needed element, for the powerful magic to happen. That's not to say that other beings do not have their own kind of magic as well. Humans are also magically inclined but to a much more limited degree. Theorists have even postulated that lycanthropic magic doesn't even exist, it's all a matter of perspective, of convincing yourself what is possible. Becoming a werewolf does something to the barriers that most humans have erected around their minds, it stretches the boundaries of what is logical and what is possible, opens their minds to the possibility that physics are mutable, thus preparing them to apprehend other feats formerly categorised as impossible. Others, mostly those found in the Lycaon, cling to the simpler explanation of werewolves being more magically inclined simply by being. They receive their power from the moon, which is evident in their abilities waxing and waning with its phases. (Nevermind that individuals have been known to at least partially free themselves from this restriction as they age and grow more powerful.) The Lycaon have spearheaded the research into werewolf magic - the more archaic call it "The Moon's Gift" - attempting to isolate what it is that makes it as uniquely lycanthropic, and why it works so well with other forms of magic, even enhancing a lycanthrope's ability to channel it, making them much more powerful than a human. Werewolf magic manifests largely in their ability to transform, but also in their naturally enhanced physicality and capacity for performing miraculous feats. Like all things, however, these resources can be drained or altogether damaged or altered. This can be as simple as a head injury or use up an individual's reserves, or as complicated as a traumatic event that interferes with one's perception of reality or instils a deep-seated doubt in their abilities. No matter the actual cause, this can result in an interruption in the flow of magical energy, which is believed to be inherently linked to a werewolf's physiology and vice versa. Once a shapeshifter suffers from this, they may find themselves "Formlocked". Formlocking Formlocking is when a werewolf is no longer able to shift from one form to the next. This is most common in their "default form" which is whatever form they were initially born into. For most this would be human, but for the rare few Wolfborn, this is their were form. Most who are Formlocked in this state were born with it. It is extremely rare but this could simply be due to the scarcity of werewolves in general. It can happen in both purebloods as well as hybrids (human x werewolf) families. Up until the mid-1900s, the term "Therianism" was used among lycanthropic families to describe a formlocked human-shaped werewolf who still experienced dramatic mental shifts into their bestial selves, essentially becoming Eclipsed, but unable to change. It was often mistaken for clinical lycanthropy. Due to the rarity of formlocked cases, the term has since fallen out of fashion. Otherwise, formlocking is usually a result of magical interference such as a hex or curse, severe head trauma or most commonly, emotional or mental trauma. Some werewolves who experience their first shift may find themselves unable to transform back for a few days afterwards simply due to the amount of pain and mental disparity that comes with it. As mentioned before, this is extremely rare, however. The body will want to shift at some point because that is essentially what shapeshifters do. It should be noted that most instances of formlocking are temporary, and can be a result of a curse, exhausting one's energy (in which you may return to default form but be unable to take on any other form), or simply that it is during a New Moon which will hinder most werewolves' abilities in general. Roleplaying a Formlocked Character In most instances, permission from the mods will not be needed to play a formlocked character. If you intend on having it be a key feature of your character, however, it is important to discuss the details with the mods before implementing them. If it is only temporary, then it is okay to resume. Being unable to transform for a short amount of time (which can be anywhere from a few hours to a few days, story-wise) is acceptable. Formlocking should be treated as a status condition, a handicap. Formlocked characters - particularly those in were form - will be much more conspicuous. Eventually they will be seen by someone, and very likely a not-friendly someone. Too many eye witness accounts of an aberrant wolf-monster in an area will definitely attract the attention of Hunters and Skinners alike. Make a nuisance of yourself too much and you could have other werewolves coming after you to silence you before more humans come and make their lives difficult. Consider the sheer amount of other werewolves in Chambury who are in hiding - they want very badly to blend in and live a normal life. Consider how far they might go to protect that if that were even remotely threatened. If you end up formlocked, be sure to recall your Redirection ability. This will be very helpful in avoiding attention if your character is aware of it. Forms that cannot be formlocked are Dog Head and Berserker. These are basically "powered up forms" that are difficult to maintain for long periods of time. Holding them is like tensing a muscle and trying to maintain them for too long will result in exhaustion, restoring the shapeshifter to their default form. Dog Head could conceivably be formlocked if they are trapped in the Seer State for whatever reason, but this could be fatal if they are not brought back in time. Werewolf Abilities These abilities are unique to shapeshifters. Human NPCs, and other non-werewolf crypto hominids, cannot adopt these. Go here for a list of Were Form Abilities. Category:Werewolves and You Category:Lore Category:Formlocking Category:Character Creation